Apparatus for transmitting the position of signals



se ugz, 1921.. QBERGFELD 1,643,800

APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTINGTHEPOSITION QF'SIGNAL'S v Filed Nov. 6, 1924 f 2 Sheets-Sheet-1 INVENTOR Sept. 27, 1927.

c. B ERGFELD APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING IHE POSITION 0F SIGNALS Filed Nov. 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A RNE S'- Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,643,800 OFFICE.

PATENT CARL snnernnto, or BERLIN-WILMERSDORF, GERMANY.

Application filed November 6, 1924, SerialNo. 748,264, and in Germany October 20, 1924.

My invention relates to such apparatus as has been already used to transmit the position of the signals to the train itself, for instance to the drivers cabin on a locomotive. Its object is 1. To increase the safety of the trafiic and especially to avoid the shocks which occurred hitherto when a strikerhit against the lever of such apparatus,

2. To assure that the position of the signals will be transmitted to the cabin of the driver,

3. To assure that the train will be stopped automatically, when it passes the mainsignal, and

1-. To assure that the apparatus cannot be tampered with.

I attain these objects in the following manner I Near the main-signal and, the advancesignal are arranged a pair of butt ngfaces or the like, which act with as small a shock.

as possible and of which the first is connected with the advance-signal, the second with the main-signal. The first buttingface transmits the position, of the advancesignal to the drivers box by showing a visual signal-disc, when the line is blocked,

i. e. when the signal is in the danger-position. The signals with their butting faces are usually arranged at such a distance from each other that the train can be stopped between them. The second buttingface withdraws the signal-disc into its invisible position, if the track has been cleared.

while the train runs from the first butting manner that it is out of the way of the roller placed below the engine when the line is free. The second butting face near the mainsignal is then so placed that the roller cannot act on it. In this case the signal-disc in the drivers cabin remains invisible.

If the line is blocked however the first butting face is so positioned as to hit the roller beneath the engine. By suitable means the revolution of the roller or its lateral movement is transmitted to the signal-disc which is caused to appear, which appearance can be accompanied by an accoustic signal. The second butting face helonging to the main-signal is then in such position that the roller cannot strike it. The signal-disc in thedrivers cabin remains therefore visible, even when the train runs past the main-signal; If the driver has stopped his train before the main-signal and this signal is then set at line clear the pos tion of the butting faces is reversed. T he first butting face moves out of the way of the roller and the second into its path. If the driver new sets. his train again in motion and it passes the main-signal-butting face the signal disc on the engine is withdrawn and becomes again invisible. Should the driver however run past the main-signal while it is blocked the signal in his cabin will remain visible and can only be rendered invisible by hand. In order to control the driver and to be able to call him to account for running past a danger signal the apparatus is so constructed that the revertically or horizontally.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan-view of the apparatusbetween the rails, showing the ad vance and main signals in the clear positron.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view I ofth-e apparatus similar to Fig. 1 but showing both the advance and main signals in the blocked position.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevation showingthe apparatus on the engine for operating the audible signal and signal-disk in the engine cabin and the automatic braking device from the roller. I

Fig. 4: is a diagrammatic view of part of the braking device.

As shown in Figs. land 2, between rails z are arranged the ramp rails o and d spaced apart and arranged adjacent opposite rails,

the ramp rail '0 being disposed adjacent the advance signal a, and the ramp rail (Z being will actuate. gear is and arm 70 will raise disposed adjacent the main signal I). Ramp rod-Z displaying disk m as shown in dotted rails c and (Z are connected by suitable link lines in Fig. 3. lVhen however shaft 7 is mechanism to operate simultaneously whererotated inthe oppositedirection rod Z and by one ramp rail will be parallel with track 2 disk m will be lowered in a similar manner. while the other ramp rail will be inclined "Rod ,Z also actuates an audible signal in towards the center of the track in position the engine cab, which signal consists of a to contact with a roller 6 depending from bell 0 having a clapper p operated by a the underside of the engine. I series of teeth or projections a on rod Z As shown, a link 0 for operating ramp when the same is moved therepast. rail c'is-connected'to one arm ot a bell crank The means for automatically stopping the lever 4L disposed beside the track, the other train in event the engine should run past disposed substantially parallel with the 9 having one arm attached to rod Z and the advance signal a. operating ramp rail (Z is connected to rod trol the throttle lever of the locomotive, 2 through a bell crank lever 6; and a bell automatically. Valve t is normally held crank lever 5 opposite main-signal Z2 has shut by a lever u pivoted adjacent valve 25, one arm connected to rod 2 and the other and a breakable member o, of wire or the arm connected to a link 6 operating the or the like, connects the free end of lever 14 se l 3/ to dj t eha f .fenrt epurnose -Iamp rail.iw llrerol e s ft inthe opitrack and operated by a hand lever 7. A the other arm connected to a link r,-the other bell-crank lever 3 opposite advance signal end of which is connected to arm s ofabella has one arm connected to rod 2 and its crank lever 8. Above the pivot s of bell- *arn'i ofiever seeing connected toarod"2" the mainsignah consists'ot'a'bellnrank lever other arm connected to a link a operating crank levers is a valve t connected in the A link d similarly air brake or other piping which may conmain signal. Links 0 and cZ are of such with the arm 8 of lever 8. hen rod Z length that when hand lever 7 is thrown in is in lowered or clear position the arm 8 clear position (Fig. 1) ramp rail 0 W111 of'bell-crank lever 8' 1s swung into retracted lie parallel to track 2 out 0]": the path of position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, roller 6, while ramp rail (Z will be inclined but when rod Z is in raised or blocked inwardly so that same projects into the path position arm 8" of lever s is projected into of roller '6. \Vhen however hand lever 7 the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4- is thrown into blocked position (Fig. 2) so that member '0 will lie in the path of a the positions are reversed, ramp rail 0 being striker to (Figs. 1 and 4t) mounted beside inclined into the path of roller 0 while thetrack z andmember Q) will be broken to ramp rail (Z liesparallel with the track. automatically release valvet when the en- Anyothertypes of ramp rail and link gine runs therepast, and the engine will mechanisms however may be used. Also hence be automatically stopped. the apparatus may be used for railroads hen the track is blocked (Fig. .2), it having-double tracks, or {or single track the engine should run past advance signal a, railroads where the trains run only in .one roller 6 will be revolved by ramp .rail c'in direction. the direction of the arrow, and the rotation As shown in Fig. 3, roller 6 is mounted oi shaft f will raise rod Z and display on a shaft ffjournalled in casing as below the signal disk-m .inthe enginecabin and the engine, which casing is pivotally will also sound the audiblesignal 0, calling mounted upon an axially movable rod Z so the drivers attention to the fact that the as to yield laterally when roller 6 strikes track is blocked so that he may stop the ramp "rails c and Z,-casing w beingnormally train before main signal 1 is reached.

retained incentral position with respect to If however the track has been cleared the track by means ofspring Z1 attached to while the engine is passing tromthe advance casing 00 and to a fixed support. One end of signal to the main signal as shown by'Fig. shaft 7' extends below the casing 00 and its 1, the ramp rail (Z will be inclined into the lower end is covered by a housing y which path of roller 6 and hence when the "train can only be openedafter breaking a lead runs past the mainsignalb roller'e striking hereinafter set forth. Bed =Z extends up-.. posite direction, in consequence of which wardly into the cab of the engine and carthe rod-Z and signal disk m will a'gainbe PIGS on 1ts upper end a signal Tm which is lowered and the train .may .continue its normally covered by a suitable shield when route.

the rod Z is in lowered position, but which It',-h owever, the train runs past'the" main is projected upwardly into displayed posisignal 1) when set in blocked position, :arm tion when the rod Z is raised. On shaft f s of bell-crank lever 3 remains projected in is a worm i meshing with a-segm-ental gear Z; position indicated in full lines in Fig. 4 pivoted at 70 in casing w,-and having a radial holding member 1) in the path of striker w arm is connected to rod Z. Hence when which is arranged beside the track-near the shaft is rotated in one direction worm i'm'ain signal '6 (Figs. '1 3.11014) and member 0 will be thereby broken. Valve lever a being thus released opens the automatic brake valve t bringing into action the emer gency brake of the engine. Also if the engine runs past the blocked main signal Z) the signal disk m in the engine cabin will remain in raised or displayed position and can only be returned by hand to its normal lowered position after breaking the seal of housing 3 and resetting shaft proving that the engineer disregarded the signals.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings for obviously changes may be made within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for transmitting the position of signals to the cabin of a train comprising a shaft on the train intermediate the rails; an advance signal; a main signal; a pair of opposed ramps on the track intermediate the rails, one in advance of the other, the advance ramp being actuated by the advance signal and the other by the main signal; a roller on said shaft adapted to contact with said ramps; said ramps being adapted to rotate the roller in opposite directions; and means cooperatingwith said shaft for actuating a signal in the cabin.

2. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

said shaft being mounted in a swingable frame; and yieldable means for normally swinging the frame to center the roller between the rails.

In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the advance ramp being placed at such a distance from the second ramp that the train can be stopped between the two ramps.

4.. In apparatus as set forth in c-laiin 1, said means comprising a worm on said roller shaft; a pivoted lever; a segmental gear on said lever actuated by said worm, a longitudinally movable rod extending into the cabin and carrying said signal, and said lever being connected with said rod, whereby as the worm is rotated in either direction the signal rod will be actuated accordingly.

5. In combination with apparatus as set forth in claim 1 a longitudinally movable rod extending into the cabin and carrying the signal; means for operating the rod from the roller shaft; a valve; a bell crank operated by the rod; a frangible link connecting the bell crank with the valve; and a striker adjacent the link whereby when the link CARL BERGFELD. 

